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United States Patent |
5,794,768
|
Skeffington
,   et al.
|
August 18, 1998
|
Key finder system and method
Abstract
A system and method for assisting a person to rapidly find keys on a key
ring in a container such as a purse, briefcase, pouch, sack, or the like
comprises a fob element having a hole portion for placement on the key
ring with the keys and a body portion. The body portion has at least one
planar surface, a recess formed in the planar surface, first part of a
two-part hook-and-loop fastener assembly is adhered to the planar surface
within the recess, and the second part of the two-part hook-and-loop
fastener assembly is mounted in the container at a selected location.
Preferably, the softer and more comfortable-to-feel loop part of the
two-part hook-and-loop fastener assembly is mounted on the fob which is
carried by the user. The molded plastic member has a second planar surface
that faces oppositely to the first planar surface. A logo may be
emblazoned or molded in the second planar surface, and an advertising or
other promotional indicia may be fitted in the second recess.
Inventors:
|
Skeffington; Cheryl J. (Mechanicsville, VA);
Walker; Kathy S. (Richmond, VA)
|
Assignee:
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Key Buddy, Inc. ()
|
Appl. No.:
|
810071 |
Filed:
|
March 4, 1997 |
Current U.S. Class: |
206/38.1; 206/37.1; 206/813 |
Intern'l Class: |
A47G 029/10 |
Field of Search: |
206/37.1,37.8,38.1,38,37,813
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
3262479 | Jul., 1966 | Leguillon | 206/37.
|
3415300 | Dec., 1968 | Worcester | 206/38.
|
3682216 | Aug., 1972 | Nelson.
| |
3978902 | Sep., 1976 | Adkison | 206/38.
|
4940250 | Jul., 1990 | Corrado | 206/37.
|
5069050 | Dec., 1991 | Chen.
| |
Primary Examiner: Ackun; Jacob K.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Zegeer, Esq.; Jim
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A key finder for assisting a person to rapidly find keys on a key ring
in a container such as a purse, briefcase, pouch, sack, or the like
comprising in combination,
a rigid fob element having a hole portion for placement on said key ring
with said keys and a rigid body portion, said rigid body portion having at
least one planer surface, a first recess formed in said planar surface and
an endless border surrounding said recess,
a first part of a two-part hook-and-loop fastener assembly having edges,
said first part being adhered to said at least one planar surface within
said recess to keep the edges of said first part from peeling, and the
borders of said recess provide a protective indentation and a smooth
polished look, and a means for mounting a second part of said two-part
hook-and-loop fastener assembly at a selected location in said container.
2. The key funder defined in claim 1 wherein said first part is the loop
part of said two-part hook-and-loop fastener assembly.
3. A key finder for assisting a person to rapidly find keys on a key ring
in a container such as a purse, briefcase, pouch, sack, or the like
comprising in combination,
a rigid fob element having a hole portion for placement on said key ring
with said keys and a rigid body portion, said rigid body portion having at
least one planar surface, a first recess formed in said planar surface and
an endless border surrounding said recess,
a first part of a two-part hook-and-loop fastener assembly having edges,
said first part being adhered to said at least one planar surface within
said recess to protect said edges and keep the edges of said first part
from peeling, and said endless border of said recess provides a protective
indentation and a smooth polished look,
means for mounting a second part of said two-part hook-and-loop fastener
assembly at a selected location in said container,
wherein said fob element is a molded plastic member having a second planar
surface that faces oppositely to said first planar surface and a second
recess formed in said second planar surface, a logo emblazoned in said
second planar surface and said second planar surface being adapted to
receive an advertising logo over said emblazoned logo.
4. The key finder for assisting a person in rapidly finding a key ring with
keys thereon in a container as defined in claim 3 wherein said recessed
surface is sufficient to keep the edges of said hook-and-loop assembly
member from peeling and the borders of said recess provide a protective
indentation and a smooth polished look.
Description
The present application is the subject of provisional application Ser. No.
60/031,031 filed Nov. 18, 1996 by Cheryl J. Skeffington and Kathy S.
Walker, entitled KEY CHAIN.
The subject matter of the provisional application is incorporated herein by
reference.
The invention is directed to the problem of finding keys in containers such
as purses, briefcases, pouches, sacks, and the like. The invention enables
the user to easily and quickly position keys at a known location at all
times.
One is familiar with the problem of "lost" keys that are not "lost" but are
merely misplaced. Frequently, the manufacturers of purses and the like
articles provides a pocket or the like which usually requires a snap and
are frequently not used.
The present invention provides an improved key finder system in which
hook-and-loop fasteners are used in a unique and comfortable way. The
invention provides a method of assisting in the rapid location of key
rings and keys in a container such as a purse, briefcase, pouch, sack, gym
bag or the like. According to the invention, a fob element is provided,
preferably of molded plastic, having a hole portion for the placement on
the key ring with the keys and a body portion having a pair of planar
surfaces with recesses formed in the planar surfaces. The first recess has
fitted therein one member of a hook-and-loop fastener assembly, and in the
preferred embodiment, the softer, and more comfortable to touch, loop
portion of the hook-and-loop assembly is secured in the recess of the key
member. The recess protects the edges of the loop portion backing from
delaminating during use. The reverse side of the body member and the
second recess is provided to receive a logo emblazoned therein and a
second logo over the first logo so as to provide advertising and
promotional indicia.
The second portion of the hook-and-loop assembly, and preferably the hook
portion, is mounted inside the container preferably by a strong industrial
grade adhesive backing on the hook portion backing. In the preferred
embodiment, the adhesive is provided with a protective peel-off plastic
sheet which may be discarded. In this case, the user is able to securely
fasten the hook portion of the hook-and-loop assembly at a selected
location inside the container so as to provide a known location to the
user for the keys. The surface of the border areas of the fob is textured
on both sides, and the recesses are indented preferably one-thirty-second
of an inch and measure one inch and 1/4 by two inches in the preferred
embodiment, thus causing a one-thirty-second inch raised border measuring
one-eighth inch in width all around the edges. The one-by two-inch
indented area serves specific functions on the front side of the fob, and
this is used for the logo which is further recessed by another
one-thirty-second of an inch for other logos which can be inserted over
the first molded-in logo. The loop portion of the hook-and-loop fastener
assembly is mounted on the other side of the fob.
The protective backing is peeled off by the user and attached to the inside
of a container. The user then simply places the backside of the fob with
the loop portion of the hook-and-loop assembly attached against the hook
portion of the hook-and-loop assembly which the user has installed in the
container.
Preferably, the hook portion is mounted in the container with the longest
side horizontal. This provides a larger "target" to hit with the loop
portion mounted on the fob. The keys are thus held in place for fast and
easy access without having to fumble around to locate them. This method of
attachment permits ease of retrieval as well as efficient securement and
comfort to the user.
The prior art discloses the use of hook-and-loop material in connection
with keys. In Chen Pat. No. 5,069,050, a pair of key rings are separably
retained in assembly by complementary hook-and-loop fastening materials,
one on a strap wrapped around each key ring, respectively. In Desanto Pat.
No. 4,799,587, a storage case for keys is provided with plural Velcro.RTM.
retainers. It is also believed that strips of adhesive Velcro.RTM. have
been adhered to individual keys for purposes of hiding the keys in certain
places such as cars and the like.
Thus, the object of the invention is to provide an improvement in key
finder systems and methods.
According to the invention, in the preferred embodiments of the invention,
the loop portion of the hook-and-loop fastener assembly is recessed in the
fob so as to be protected from delamination through use and, in this
preferred embodiment, the loop portion of the hook-and-loop fastener is
mounted on the fob because it is softer to the touch and therefore more
comfortable than the hook portion which is stiff and less comfortable. The
recess on the logo side of the fob is sufficient to enable the logo to be
emblazoned in the base of the recess, and the recess also serves to
receive and protect from delamination advertising for advertisers who will
give the assembly away to customers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will
become more apparent when considered with the following specification and
accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a key ring and fob incorporated
in the invention,
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the reverse side of the key
fob of FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the key fob showing the details of a
construction of the key fob shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,
FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of a container, such as a purse or
pocketbook, with the hook portion of a hook and loop fasttener assembly,
and
FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of the container in FIG. 4 with a key
ring detachably secured thereto.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a key fob 10 having a hole 11 in a key
ring portion 12 and a main body portion 13.
A preferred embodiment main body 13 is molded ABS plastic but it can be
molded polyurethane plastic or other plastic. The border or edge surfaces
15 are textured for appearance purposes but need not be textured. While
the body member 10 is shown as rectangular, it need not be rectangular but
may be circular, or configured to provide any given shape for advertising
and promotional purposes. At least one of the top and bottom surfaces is
planar and is adapted to receive one element of a hook-and-loop fastener
such as Velcro.RTM. brand fasteners. While either the hook or the loop
element of the hook-and-loop assembly can be utilized on the fob, in the
preferred embodiment, one part of a hook-and-loop assembly is adhered to
the planar surface in the fob 10. In the preferred embodiment, the loop
part of the hook-and-loop assembly is adhered to the fob because it is
softer to the feel and thus more comfortable as compared to the hook part
of the hook-and-loop fastener assembly.
Referring to FIG. 1, the loop part 15 is illustrated as it is being fitted
onto a planar surface on the fob member 10. As shown in FIG. 2, a recess
16 is formed in the surface of the fob 10 so as to provide protection for
the hook-and-loop portion as contained therein. This protects the
hook-and-loop from delamination of the adhesive that is used to adhere the
hook-and-loop portion 15 in recess 16. The logo side 17 is also preferably
planar and may include a molded logo or, as illustrated in FIG. 2, have a
molded logo or a second logo or advertising for a promotional indicia 17
fitted into recess 18 (FIG. 3). Key ring R in this embodiment is a
conventional spread metal ring upon which the keys are installed or
removed in a known fashion.
Referring now to FIG. 4, a container 30 such as a purse, pocketbook,
briefcase, pouch, sack, backpack, etc. with a carrying or shoulder strap
31 has a hook portion or part 32 of a hook-and-loop fastener assembly
adhered by a commercial grade adhesive 33 (shown with a corner 33C of the
hook part 32 rolled back for explanatory purposes. This is a conventional
"peel and stick" arrangement. FIG. 5 shows a fob 10 with the loop portion
on backside in engagement with the hook portion 32 and in a safe and
easily found location in a purse. Note that the hook portion 32 in this
preferred embodiment has essentially the same 1".times.2" dimension of the
loop part 15. In the preferred embodiment, it is mounted so that the long
dimension is horizontal so that the longer area is provided to engage with
the loop portion 15 on the key fob 10. It will be appreciated that one of
the advantages of this arrangement is that the loop portion 15 on the fob
need not be precisely aligned with the hook portion 32 on the container.
In fact, only a very small percentage of the area of loop portion 15 need
contact the hook portion 32 for successful mounting of the key ring R in
the container 30.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described and
illustrated, it will be appreciated that other embodiments and adaptations
of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
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